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T3D0178 - Americium
| Record Information | |
|---|---|
| Version | 1.0 |
| Creation Date | 2009-03-06 18:58:13 UTC |
| Update Date | 2013-04-25 08:33:10 UTC |
| Accession Number | T3D0178 |
| Identification | |
| Common Name | Americium |
| Description | Americium is a synthetic element that has the symbol Am and atomic number 95. It is a radioactive metallic element of the actinide series. Eighteen radioisotopes of americium, with mass number from 231 to 249, have been characterized. The most stable isotopes are Am-243 (half-life of 7370 years) and Am-241 (half-life of 432.2 years). The most used isotope is Am-241 because it is easiest to produce. Americium is widely used in commercial ionization-chamber smoke detectors as well as in neutron sources and industrial gauges. Americium emits alpha and gamma radiation, which represents a serious health hazard. (S530) |
| Compound Type |
|
| Chemical Structure |
|
| Synonyms |
|
| Chemical Formula | Am |
| Average Molecular Weight | 243 |
| Monoisotopic Molecular Weight | 243 |
| Chemical IUPAC Name | americium |
| CAS Registry Number | 7440-35-9 |
| SMILES | [Am] |
| InChI Identifier | InChI=1S/Am |
| InChI Key | InChIKey=LXQXZNRPTYVCNG-UHFFFAOYSA-N |
| Chemical Taxonomy | |
| Kingdom | Inorganic Compounds |
| Super Class | Homogeneous Metal Compounds |
| Class | Homogeneous Actinide Compounds |
| Sub Class | Not Available |
| Direct Parent | Homogeneous Actinide Compounds |
| Alternative Parents | Not Available |
| Molecular Framework | Acyclic Compounds |
| Substituents | Not Available |
| External Descriptors |
|
| External Links | |
| DrugBank ID | Not Available |
| PubChem Compound ID | 23966  |
| KEGG ID | Not Available |
| UniProt ID | Not Available |
| OMIM ID | Not Available |
| ChEBI ID | 33389 |
| BioCyc ID | Not Available |
| CTD ID | D000576 |
| Stitch ID | Americium |
| PDB ID | Not Available |
| ACToR ID | Not Available |
| Wikipedia Link | http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Americium |
| Physical Properties | |
| Appearance | Americium is a silvery-white solid metal, which tarnishes in dry air at room temperature. (S530) |
| Melting Point | 1449 K (1176 C, 2149 F ) |
| Solubility | Not Available |
| Predicted LogP | 0 |
| Toxicity Profile | |
| Route of Exposure | Oral (W516) ; Inhalation (W516) |
| Mechanism of Action | Americium toxicity results primarily from the damage done by the alpha particle emitted during radioactive decay. This alpha particle has very limited penetration in tissue, and hence, the cellular damage occurs only in the immediate vicinity of the sequestered americium. The ionizing radiation produced by americium causes cellular damage that includes DNA breakage, accurate or inaccurate repair, apoptosis, gene mutations, chromosomal change, and genetic instability. This leads to loss of normal cell and tissue homeostasis, and development of malignancy. Ionizing radiation that does not directly damage DNA can produce reactive oxygen intermediates that directly affect the stability of p53, an important enzyme in cell-cycle regulation, and produce oxidative damage to individual bases in DNA and point mutations by mispairing during DNA replication. (W510) |
| Metabolism | Americium can be absorbed following ingestion, inhalation, and dermal exposure. In the body it distributes primarily to the liver, as well as to the bone and skeletal muscle. The metabolism of americium involves binding interactions with proteins and probably complex formation with various inorganic anions, such as carbonate and phosphate, and carboxylic acids, such as citrate and lactate. Americium is excreted in faeces and urine. (W516) |
| Toxicity Values | Not Available |
| Lethal Dose | Not Available |
| Carcinogenicity (IARC Classification) | Not Available |
| Uses/Sources | Americium is widely used in commercial ionization-chamber smoke detectors as well as in neutron sources and industrial gauges. (S530) |
| Minimum Risk Level | Acute Radiation: 4 mSv (R260) Chronic Radiation: 1 mSv/yr (R260) |
| Health Effects | Americium's radioactivity can cause cancer, especially of the bone, where it is known to accumulate. Exposure to large amount of americium may also damage the lungs, liver, and thyroid. (W516) |
| Symptoms | Exposure to high doses of ionizing radiation results in acute radiation syndrome, which can cause skin burns, hair loss, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, disorientation, low blood pressure, headache, fatigue, weakness, fever, birth defects, illness, infection, and death. (W510, W525) |
| Treatment | Treatment reversing the effects of irradiation is currently not possible. Anaesthetics and antiemetics are administered to counter the symptoms of exposure, as well as antibiotics for countering secondary infections due to the resulting immune system deficiency. (W525) |
| References | |
| General References |
|
Targets
1. Cytokine receptor common subunit beta
High affinity receptor for interleukin-3, interleukin-5 and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor.
The ionizing radiation produced by americium causes cellular damage that includes DNA breakage, accurate or inaccurate repair, apoptosis, gene mutations, chromosomal change, and genetic instability. This leads to loss of normal cell and tissue homeostasis, and development of malignancy. (W510)UniProt ID: P32927
Gene: CSF2RB
Protein Sequence: FASTA
Gene Sequence: FASTA
SNPs: SNPJam Report
References:
- W510 — ATSDR - Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (1999). Toxicological profile for ionizing radiation. U.S. Public Health Service in collaboration with U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). [Link]